Chapter 18

~Riley’s POV~

“Whad’ya think they’re talking about over there?” Kyle tilted his head in the direction of our crew, who had not surprisingly, kicked us out of whatever clandestine meeting they were having.

You’d think that after everything we’d all been through that they’d just get over themselves already.

I shrugged. “Whatever it is we’re probably better off not knowing anyway.” I commented untruthfully and frowned in contemplation.

The rest of the crew sat serious-faced around a large table not far from where I sat with Kyle. They all looked tense; or was it restrained excitement? I really couldn’t tell.

“Isn’t Johnny looking handsome this morning?”

I shifted my gaze to John, who sat with his elbows propped up on the clean surface of the table, listening to whatever it was Nathan was telling the group. He was wearing the same ugly prison clothes he wore every day, same tattoos, same shaved head, same huge muscles and same grumpy expression.

I rolled my eyes.

“You’re whipped.”

Kyle grinned briefly before turning to me with raised brows, “And you aren’t?”

“Well at least I’m not sitting here mooning over Nathan.”

“That’s cause you get to be with him all night.” He commented, then he let his eyes rove over me, “Lucky bastard.”

I chuckled then sighed, “Yeah and in just a few weeks Nathan’ll be gone and I’ll have to room with some other dude.

“I could put in a transfer for your cell.” Kyle looked at me, eyes wide with excitement and I shook my head.

“No point, you’ll be gone a month after Nate leaves and then what? I’d rather not get attached to anymore cell mates while I’m here.”

He shrugged, “The others will take care of you when we’re gone, I’ll make sure of it and you know I’ll visit and I’ll hunt Nathan down wherever he is and bring him along too.” He said good-naturedly and I offered him a small smile.

That I didn’t doubt.

“I don’t know how you do it Kyle.” I commented after a few seconds of silence.

“Do what?”

“Be so happy all the time. I mean you’re in prison but you don’t ever act like it.” I explained and he shrugged.

“You’re not there when I’m bawling my eyes out at night.” He commented and when I looked at him in concern he laughed it off.

“I guess I just don’t see the point of walking around sad all day, there’s nothing I can do about it.” He shrugged again.

“You make it sound so easy.” I frowned at him.

“Okay, look at it this way….if I hadn’t ended up in this dump I’d never have met you…or the guys…or John. Everything happens for a reason Riley.” He looked like he believed it too and I nodded.

He was still making it sound more simple than it was and I found myself wishing I had his outlook on life.

“Do you really cry yourself to sleep at night?”

He smiled. “At first I did…but then I met John.” He was silent for a second. “There’s just no way you can be sad with a face like that around.” He chuckled.

“I’m gonna go crash their meeting, come on.” He said standing up. I looked back and forth between the crew and Kyle with furrowed brows.

“You think that’s a good idea?”

He shrugged and turned to go and I pushed up quickly from my seat; determined to follow.

All voices dies down the moment we reached the table and I looked apologetically at Nate who had turned to watch our approach with a blank expression.

“Scoot over Johnny.” I watched as Kyle somehow forced himself into the space between Eddie and John and I rolled my eyes, grabbing the only other free seat directly across from Nate.

“So Riley was wondering what it was you guys are always whispering about so we decided to sit in on this meeting.”

I glared at Kyle who looked back at me innocently.

“What happened to everyone being entitled to privacy?” one of the guys put in and I could feel that we weren’t welcome at the table right then.

Nathan cut the guy a look and turned to me to explain. “It’s fine we were just discussing your case. I didn’t want you to get upset which is why I asked you to leave earlier.”

I continued to stare at him, a number of emotions flitting through me.

“Wow… so you’re just gonna sit there and lie to my face.” I said softly and the entire table seemed to still as everyone turned watched the two of us.

Kyle was the first to break the silence, “Riley I’m sure he’s telling the tru-“

“No.” I cut him off, “He’s lying. You don’t live with a person for as long as I have and not pick up on a few things. He just lied right to my face.” I said, my gaze still locked on Nate who had yet to say a word.

He just sat there in silence his gaze fixed on mine; face completely unreadable.

“You wanna sit here and have your secret meeting with your crew Nate fine…but don’t treat me like I’m some fucking idiot.” I said firmly.

I’d been through enough as it was, I didn’t need the one person I cared about lying to me too.

“What’s so important you’ve got to be keeping it from us anyway? Aren’t we apart of your crew too? Don’t you guys trust us?” Kyle spoke then and Nate finally looked away.

“Alright I lied. I’ll admit it.” Nate said then, his voice cold and his jaw set. “but when we keep meetings like this, it’s for a reason and If I say you’re not welcome to sit in, that’s exactly what I mean. Better?” he turned back to me and asked, his expression still frosty and I wondered if it was because I caught him in a lie or because he was genuinely upset that Kyle and I had crashed the meeting why he was acting this way.

I gazed around the table for a second, taking in the faces of the others who chose to remain quiet.

I shook my head, “Alright, go back to your little meeting, I have more important things to do than sit here with you jerks anyway.” And I was out of my seat before anyone could take another breath.

Hurt that they could still be so distrusting of me and Kyle, angry that Nate had felt the need to lie to me in the first place and embarrassed that I’d practically been rejected in front of the others by my own lover, I made my way across the room and towards a familiar guard standing by the phones.

The one who had been kind to me. I heard Kyle’s feet tapping against the floor as he followed me and I slowed to allow him to catch up.

“What now?” he asked when he was by my side and from his tone I could tell he wasn’t particularly overjoyed by the circumstances either.

“Wanna go play cards in my cell?” I asked and his eyes narrowed.

“I would, but we’re not allowed on the block till they say so.” He was clearly confused and indicated with my head to the guard standing not too far away from us.

“Nathan’s not the only one with links around here.” I said slyly and I watched as a slow smile spread across Kyle’s face.

“Lead the way.” He invited and I took a deep breath and made my way towards the man.

“Guard Kelly right?” I asked the second we stopped in front of him and I knew that he recognized me from his glittering eyes.

“You’re that depressed kid. Riley was it?” he greeted and I smiled shyly in response.

“What can I do for you?”

“Well…I know this is gonna sound weird...but I was wondering if maybe…it might be possible for me to go back to my cell?” I hadn’t really come up with an explanation as to why he should even consider allowing me on the block so I trailed off and looked up at him, waiting for his answer.

His brows furrowed and he looked between me and Kyle. “Block’s out of bounds to prisoners during lunch period.” He explained and I looked to Kyle for help but he shrugged offering absolutely no aid.

“Why do you want to go onto the block?”

I shrugged, looked once more at Kyle then back at the guard. “Boredom.” I uttered the stupid answer and the guard’s amused expression caused me to blush with embarrassment.

“Come with me.” he said then and my eyes widened in surprise. “You’re actually gonna take us to the block?” I asked in awe but he only shook his head and my brows wrinkled.

“Even better, I’ll show you something.” He said and after signaling to one of his guard buddies he indicated that we should walk before him and we did.

Kyle looked a bit uneasy and I bit my lip, wondering just what I was getting us into.

On our way out of the room I spotted the crew watching us, my gaze locked onto Nathan’s particularly. His brows were furrowed in what looked to be concern as he watched the three of us walk by him and I turned away swiftly, reluctant to forget what a dick he’d been only minutes before.

………………………………………

~Nathan’s POV~

“They’re only going to get more suspicious you know?” Eddie said as soon as Kyle was out of ear shot.

“Clearly, but we don’t have a choice.”

“Have you given any thought to what you’re gonna do about him once we’re done here?” Eddie again.

“Haven’t really thought about much past the Op. I’ll figure it out.” I assured him, but he only raised a brow, looking at me as if I’d just spoken another language.

“When we leave and all the inmates find out the reason we were here...which they will…Riley and Kyle will be in danger and that’ll be on us. So I ask again…what are you gonna do about them? They’re as much part of this crew as the rest of us and I won’t leave them to fend for themselves just because of their association with us.” He continued and I bristled.

I wasn’t sure yet if it was the heat of the day, or something in the air why everyone seemed to be on my case today. It was bad enough I’d been caught in a lie by an amateur like Riley but to have one of my men questioning my ability to cater for the guys I’d inadvertently put in danger didn’t sit well with me.

“I don’t know if it’s that you’re intentionally being dull-witted or if you really don’t have an ounce of perception, but I care about Riley and John cares about Kyle which means that when I say I’ll look out for them. I damn well mean it.”

It was the heat , that would be the best way to explain why tensions seemed to be running high today and everyone felt the sudden need to be mouthing off, but it only soured my mood and luckily for Eddie; he chose to remain silent after my outburst.

John only gaped at me as if I’d given away some prized secret of his and the others kept their eyes averted as if they expected me to blow up any minute.

I jerked at my collar a few times to allow the air to cool my skin but it wasn’t much better.

“If Riley doesn’t go free before we leave, we’ll pull some strings and get him transferred to another facility; he’ll be fine, as for Kyle he’ll be out soon after we leave so that won’t be a problem either.” John; seemingly the only level headed of the group today chose to be the voice of reason.

“So you two are fucking prisoners now?” Charlie asked and I gave him the full effect of my annoyed stare. He didn’t seem particularly judgmental just merely curious but his words still had the ability to piss me off.

I jerked my collar again as the heat seemed to get worse.

“Mind you own damn business.” John told him and I took a breath and turned away from both of them. It was then that I spotted Riley walking towards the exit with Kyle and our block guard in tow and I frowned.

“I don’t even want know what those two are up to.” John groaned when he saw them and we all caught the wink Kyle gave him. One of the guys snickered.

Riley met my eyes for about a second then abruptly turned away.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out he was pissed. I cursed under my breath at the entire situation, then I cursed the heat and the case and the whole god damn world because today was not going my way in the least.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

THIS IS A PRETTY MELLOW CHAPTER..JUST AN ORDINARY DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR PRISONERS.

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.